In August 2025, to celebrate the end of their project The Changing Faces of Diss, Moving House Films presented its latest community centred short film A Town Like Diss – a vibrant, imaginative exploration of memory, identity, and storytelling in the heart of Norfolk. Over 250 local residents attended a red carpet premiere at Diss Corn Hall, which was accompanied by a two-day exhibition across multiple venues in the town. All were invited to hear residents’ memories through phone lines installed in the cafe at No.8 Market Place, watch the film at the Corn Hall,  and go on a search for hand-made props from the film, co-created with the community with artists at DesignerMakers21.

ABOUT THE FILM

Commissioned by Essex Cultural Diversity Project and funded by Arts Council England, A Town Like Diss brings together the voices of Diss to craft a legacy artwork that reflects the town’s evolving character. Inspired by John Betjeman’s 1964 BBC film Something About Diss, this new piece blends documentary realism with whimsical reimagining.

Part documentary, part daydream, the film invites residents to share their stories and brings them to life through playful, powerful reenactments by community members. A man remembers elephants arriving by train, trunks and tails linked, marching down Victoria Road. A woman recalls a brief, glorious romance with a trapeze artist on Fair Green. A fisherman is pulled into the Mere only to discover the strange creatures that live down there. A girl, once desperate to be chased by geese, finds herself at the wrong end of a feathered vendetta. A bemused café owner, faced by a customer convinced she can pay with a retail clubcard, kindly acquiesces. A Ukrainian refugee finds warmth and welcome in an unfamiliar town.

With every tale playfully performed and reconstructed by residents, each memory is a communal act. Blending real recollection with fantastical re-creation, The Changing Faces of Diss unfolds like a folk tale told by many voices. Rooted in the streets and stories of Diss, it captures the spirit of a place shaped as much by memory as by map.

The Changing Faces of Diss is made possible through a commission from Essex Cultural Diversity Project supported by Arts Council England, in partnership with Diss Corn Hall, DesignerMakers21, and No.8 Market Place.